Toy



July 28, 1953 Filed Jilly 10, 1950 R- 'r. mass-r 2,647,222

TOY

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR ROBERT T. NIES ET ATTORNEYS July 28, 1953 R. 1'. Nl ESET 1 72 Filed July 10, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ROBERT T1 NIESET BYMWQ DMwo ATTORNEYS Patented July 28, 1953 TOY Robert T. Nieset, New Orleans, La., assignor to Bierne Associates, Inc., New 0rleans,.La., a corporation of Louisiana 2 Application July 10, 1950, Serial No. 172,879 1 Claim. (01. 315-228) This invention relates to toys, and particularly to toys having periodically illuminated members.

I have discovered that fascination for relatively simple toys is greatly enhanced if parts thereof blink or otherwise attract attention. To cite a very few examples, I have discovered that if the eyes of a teddy bear or bunny or the like are caused to periodically illuminate, the toys are much more in demand than a similar non-animated toy.

In further developing my invention, I have found that the utmost interest is directed to periodic illumination which will continue for very extended periods of time unattended. To this end, I have adapted certain electrical circuits for periodic illumination purposes, these circuits comprising arrangements whereby very little power is consumed. By my arrangements, a toy-may operate from an ordinary dry-cell battery, for

example, and the circuit will continue to, function g for very nearly the shelf life of the battery. By shelf life I refer to the life of a battery when never connected to an external load; I 7 a My invention is not limited to illuminating only the eyes of toy animals, but alsoextendsto such illumination of selected parts of mechanical toys. For example, wing-tip lights or toy airplanes may be caused to alternately. blink, or toy automobiles may be equipped with blinking lights.

It is therefore a primary object of my invention to provide toys having periodically illuminated parts.

It is a further object of my inventionto provide toys having members which will be periodically illuminated for extended periods of time.

It is a further object of my invention to provide electrical means for causing periodic illumination. V

Further objects and the entire scope of my invention will become clear from the followingdetaileddescription and from the appended claim.

A more complete understanding of my invention may be had with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a toy pandaequipped with illuminated members according to my invention.

Figure 2 shows across-sectional view of Figure 1.

With reference to Figure 1, an example of a Figure 3 shows an additional crossesection of t toy comprising my invention is shown as a stuffed animal ||l havingeye members l2 and I4 adapted to be periodically illuminated by a circuit within a container indicated by dash lines at IS. The leads l8 and 20 extend from the circuit Hi to the eyes l2 and M, respectively.

The circuit to be included in the block l6 .will be described more fully hereinafter.

Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the toy shown in Figure 1 and gives a more complete understanding of the construction involved.

Figure 3 further shows a cross-section looking down upon the toy as shown in Figure 1. The toy I9 is made up of an outer cover 2| which will be of relatively heavy cloth, plastic, or suitable flexible material. The actual construction of the toy itself is not a part of this invention, however, and no detailed description will be made, such articles being well-known on the market. The eye members 12 and M which I show in these drawings comprise an eye body 22 which comprise a threaded section 24. The glass envelope 2B is mounted upon the eye body 22 extending internally of the threaded section 24. This envelope 26 is gas filled and contains spaced electrodes. This construction is the conventional arrangement for gaseous discharge devices, and one electrode will glow or illuminate when sufficient potential is applied across the electrodes. The threaded section 24 has attached at the outer end thereof an outer diaphragm 28. Diaphragm 28 is made considerably larger than the opening in the cover 2| through which the threaded section 24 extends.

After the threaded section has been inserted through the cover 2| and before the lead I8 is connected to the circuit I6, an inner diaphragm 30 and a retaining nut 32 are placed upon the threaded section 2t and the nut run up to clamp the cover 2| between the diaphragms 28 and 30. The eye I2 is thus firmly mounted on the cover 2| but will be capable of moving with the cover 2| generally. The toy will be normally stuffed with cotton or the like to permit flexing of nearly all areas of the cover 2|. As previously mentioned, eye i4 is in all respects identical with eye l2. The block or container l6 may be generally located within the major portion of the body of the toy, as best shown in Figure 2.

, According to my invention, as I have previously mentioned, an important feature is that the eyes or other illuminated members, if the toy is other than a'doll or animal, are comprised of gaseous discharge tubes. With this typelof bulb, extremely low power drain is experienced,

as contrasted with the power consumed by filament bulbs. There are many electrical circuits available to cause the gaseous discharge devices to be periodically illuminated and I do not intend by this description to limit the practice of my invention to the particular circuits which I will hereinafter mention. The circuit shown in Figure 4, however, is-Qnewhich tothebestoi my. knowledge, has not been heretofore known and which may be particularly desirable in the practice of the remainder of my invention. This is.

a circuit which is based on relaxation oscillator principles but wll'ch will alternately illuminate the discharge devices. In this circuit, one light.

is oif while the other is on, and'vic .versa,,which.

makes the circuit desirable not only in toys such as stuffed dolls or animals, but also in mechanical toys such as airplanes. efiect is obtained by having miniature. wing tip lights alternately blink,

My circuit is comprised of two gaseous discharge devices H2 and I1 4': The device- H 2: is connected in a series-circuit relationship with asource or potentialflindicated generally'at HG;

a] main resistanceRr anda secondresistance H R2. This series-circuit is'iurther characterized by a, capacitance C connected. acrossthe resistance-R2: In the circuit thus far described, the potential of the-source H6", which maybe'designated'; E, is initiallyappliedacross thedischarge device H2 when'the' circuit is completed. The circuit is further characterized by having the other ;di."scharge device [1 4 interconnected at one side-Etc the-t'ubell-Z and-at'itsother side" to a tap in the-source--l 16 to provide a potential" e.

Thearrangcment of the tube l'll just described is obviously the equivalent of having the tube I M --connected' tothe negative side ofsource I I 6 and haVing a second source of potential between said negative side-of source H6 and the: tube 1 H4, where-this-= source e is connected in opposittion to source E.

In operation, when thecircuitisinitiallyconnested, the full value E- will-- appear across the device ilz and with- E selected to beabove: the striking potential of device N2; the latter will illuminate; The resulting current through R1, however, brings the potential across device H4 below" the striking potential; The result is that,

initially; device H2 wilibe illuminated; and; '4 I) will not be illuminated.

As the conduction through HZJcontinues, the potential on the-capacitance Owillcbviously increase-and in duetime, depending uponthe total resistance of the circuit, will cause sufficient decrease in currentthrough R1- to causedevice H4 could ice-directly connected to E if its striking and cut-ofi, potentials were sufliciently different irom. device H2.

Itwill be obvious to those skilled in the art that; many combinations. of circuit parameters w'illbe' usable, to renderthe circuit of' Figure 4 In the latter; a.-. realistic" operable. For example, with E at 135 volts and e at 95 volts, and with devices H2 and H4 of A; to /2 watt capacity, R1 may be 1.2 megohms, Hz 1.5 megohms, and C 0.25 mfd. Alternatively, R1 may be 0.33 megohm, R2 0.47 megohm, and capacitance C again, 0.25 mid. It will be understood that these representative values are given for, purposesoi example. onlyhand are. not intended to; limit the invention.

In Figures 5 to 7, I show an alternate method of mounting gaseous discharge devices as parts of a toy. In particular, this arrangement is adaptable to the stuffed animal, as shown in Figures 1. to 3. In this modification, the gaseous discharge device, 212' assumes a shape which is quite inexpensive in manufacture, but does not particularly simulate an eye. A sheath 2M is provided; however, to enclose a portion of the device: 2l2 and leads extending therefrom inwardly'of the cover 2|. Lead 2 l 8 extends through a,constricted aperture 219 in the sheath 2M and solder joints: Hit-connecting lead 218' withthe bulb leads 2-22- act;as means to prevent withdrawal, of the-deviceH-Z through the'end 248 013 sheath 214'; An insulating tube 224 mm! be=employed to maintain the leads 22-2 electrically separated: To closely simulate an eye, the device 2-12 is'then surrounded by a smoothly contoured transparent cover 22-6- which. is inserted into the open-end 221 of the-sheath ZHL The sheath 2M may preferably be made of -flexible rubber and the cover-1 26*- maintained in position Within the sheath 214-by means of friction. The connection-may be further established by-extrud-1 ingridges (not shown? on the outer surfaceof cover 22fivvliich-would emhed in the sheath 2441 Theassembled eye may. bemounted on; the cover 2| of the-toy'lfl', or maybe mountedin any panel member of a mechanical toy by means of arrouter flexible lip Z28and'an inner flexible lip 2-30; It willibe obvious that with these lipsmade flexible, andwith some tolerance between the aperture in the cover 2i and the diameter of the sheath 2M, the=assembly may be pushed-into position until the lips resume the position shown in the drawings.

With respect to suitable electrical circuits for incorporation into toys, it will-beappreciated-that various power sources will beusable; Preferred circuits, however will probably involvepower sources contained within the toy itself. Such powersource-may be-in theform of a so-called B battery wherein suitably high potentials may be-directlyderived for operation of gaseous discharge devices, or,-, alternatively, low voltage A batteries maybe employed" with vibratory power packs;

The foregoing description of my invention has been made only for purposes of illustration. It is expected that many; other embodiments of my invention will occur to others, andthereforeI dc sirethat'the scope of the invention be determined from the appended claim. I 7 v I claim:

Ina circuit for alternately illuminating, two e u dischargfi evices-, first and second discharge devices each having first-and second terminals, the first terminals of each discharge device. being connectedtogether at a common point, a first resistance connected at one. id t said commonpoint andatitsother side. to, the positive terminal of a,,source of potential, the second terminal of thgsecon'd discharge device being connectedfto a mid tap on the source of potential, the second terminal of the firstldis charge device being connected through av second resistance to the negative terminal of the potential source, and a capacitance connected in shunt across said second resistance.

ROBERT T. NIESE'T.

Number Name Date Shoenberg Jan. 21, 1919 10 Number Name Date Wilson Aug. 26, 1930 Morgenstern et a1. Sept. 20, 1932 Langer May 12, 1936 Langer et a1. Dec. 20, 1938 Swift Feb. 9, 1943 Courtney Jan. 6, 1948 Powell Aug. 31, 1948 

